Graeme Aldridge

Graeme Aldridge's five-wicket haul in the second innings helped Northern Districts register a 49-run victory over Otago in a thrilling last-day finish at the Seddon Park

The bowlers held sway at Cobham Oval, where neither team passed 300 in four innings and Auckland chased a target of 211 on the final day

Persistent rain on the fourth day robbed Northern Districts of a chance to push for their first win in the Plunket Shield as they drew the match against Canterbury at Seddon Park in Hamilton

Northern Districts stayed top of the table after thrashing Canterbury, while Wellington picked up their first win of the season

New Zealand have included three uncapped players in their ODI and Twenty20 squads for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe, as well as two for the one-off Test

A round-up of the fifth round of Plunket Shield matches

Northern Districts moved to the top of the points table after they comprehensively beat Otago by nine wickets at the Whitestone Contracting Stadium in Oamaru

Central Districts took just over 30 overs on the fourth day to beat Wellington by 243 runs at Nelson Park in Napier

A terrific all-round performance from Kane Williamson helped Northern Districts complete a ten-wicket thrashing of Auckland inside three days at Whangarei

Graeme Aldridge's incisive spell on the opening day and Kane Williamson's stroke-filled 170 paved the way for Northern Districts' nine-wicket win against Wellington at the Basin Reserve.

A review of the second round of games in the 2009-10 Plunket Shield

Joseph Yovich and Graeme Aldridge helped table-toppers Northern Districts to their fifth State Shield title in 14 years - their first since 2004-05

Otago's victory against Auckland at Dunedin prompted a call for the pitch doctor as 34 wickets fell inside two days but their coach Mike Hesson says there's no cause for alarm ahead of the Test scheduled there in early January

A summary of the fourth day's play in the latest round of State Championship matches

A summary of the third day's play in the latest round of State Championship matches

A round-up of the State Championship matches that took place on March 1

A minor shoulder injury has ruled out Daryl Tuffey from the remainder of New Zealand A's tour to Sri Lanka

Central Districts qualified to host the final of the State shield after beating Wellington by 72 runs at the Basin Reserve

Central Districts batted first and defeated Auckland by 55 runs after scoring 229 for 8